As Above, So Below

Wed Feb 19
7:00

with filmmaker Sarah Christman in person

director:

Sarah Christman

“Shedding light on local and global acts of alchemy, As Above, So Below is a deeply personal and thought-provoking reflection on the ephemeral life of material objects. Christman’s intimate documentation of her family’s decision to have her stepfather’s ashes transformed into a memorial diamond frames a larger exploration of the recycling of matter. The story ranges from Belgium, where precious metals are ‘mined’ from discarded electronics, to New York, where a long-term reclamation project is converting what was once the world’s largest landfill into the city’s second largest public park system. Overturning common conceptions of a disposable culture, this beautifully-composed essay film underscores the vast and unimagined potential lying dormant in our waste.” (Museum of Modern Art) Shown with Christman’s short Gowanus Canal (7 mins, 2013). Just below the surface of one of the most contaminated urban waterways in the United States, microorganisms thrive amidst the toxic waste.
Jury Prize, Ann Arbor Film Festival
Honorable Mention, Best Documentary Feature, Chicago Underground Film Festival.